SNP government goes through a plastic cup every minute

31 Dec 2018

The SNP government buys a single-use plastic cup every single minute, new figures have shown.

In an embarrassing revelation for the supposedly environmentally-conscious nationalists, it has emerged more than 1.5 million cups were bought in the last three years through the government’s official catering contract.

This is despite constant rhetoric from the SNP about using sustainable cups and pursuing a green agenda while in power.

Shadow environment secretary Maurice Golden urged ministers to take a new approach to providing water and coffee cups throughout the government estate.

He added that, if the SNP government was to continue buying single-use plastic cups in such huge quantity, it should take steps to improve recycling facilities.

The figures were obtained by the Scottish Conservatives through Freedom of Information.

The party previously called for a new plastic recycling plant to be built which would create jobs, save money from exporting recyclable waste overseas, and even bring recycling work to Scotland from the rest of the UK.